A Matter of Perspective
by AliasCWN
Summary: Not everyone sees things in the same light. Sometimes personal feelings get in the way of A clear view.


**A Matter of Perspective**

By:AliasCWN

The convoy scattered and drove away in a cloud of oily smoke. The trucks that hadn't survived the attack littered the road where the drivers had abandoned them, assuming that the drivers themselves had survived.

Sam Troy tapped his driver on the shoulder and ordered him to return to the scene of the ambush. They drove carefully along the line of wrecks while keeping a careful eye out for any survivors who still wanted to fight. A few bodies sprawled gracelessly among the abandoned vehicles but there was no movement to draw the attention of the Allies. Here and there a driver had died in his truck and now sat starring sightlessly through the windshield as the jeeps passed.

The power of the heavy caliber bullets was evident in the damage that had been done to bodies and vehicles alike. Hitch shook his head sadly as he drove past their victims.

"Are you all right Hitch?" Troy called after the jeep practically stopped next to one particularly mangled body.

The young blond jerked and looked back at his sergeant guiltily before he nodded and stepped on the gas. They continued to survey the carnage until Troy spotted the truck he was looking for. He pointed it out and Hitch obediently drove over and stopped next to the vehicle. This one hadn't caught fire but there was no sign of the driver. Hitch reached up and grabbed a weapon so he could protect the sergeant if needed.

Troy released the handles of the 50 and jumped heavily to the ground. The strain of standing up in a bouncing, swerving jeep always took a toll on his legs. He imagined it as being similar to a sailor stepping onto dry land after a long voyage at sea. Used to the sensation, the sergeant urged his quivering muscles to carry him over to the truck. Using the barrel of the machine gun he had taken from the jeep Troy pushed the edge of the canvas flap to one side. When no sound or movement came from inside the sergeant peeked over the tailgate. His quick smile and nod to his driver signaled that all was well and he had found what he was seeking.

Hitch didn't lower his guard despite the sergeant's reassurances. His eyes constantly scanned the area around the trucks for movement. With his peripheral vision he saw the sergeant climb over the tailgate and disappear inside.

A few minutes later Troy came back out with a heavy box in his hands. He placed the box near the tailgate while he climbed to the ground. Reaching back inside he lifted the box clear and carried it to the jeep. "Okay, let's finish up here and get going."

"Where's the driver Sarge?"

Troy paused to look around. "I don't know, maybe he caught a ride in another truck." He was opening the box when Hitch spoke again.

"Maybe we should check to be sure."

"Be sure about what Hitch?" Troy turned to look at his driver. "If he caught a ride we wouldn't be able to tell, he'd just be gone."

"Maybe we should check and see if he's around here somewhere. He might just be injured." Hitch persisted.

"He hasn't taken a shot at us." Troy replied. "If he's hurt and still here he's smart enough to keep his head down."

"Shouldn't we check?"

"We don't have time Hitch. The Germans will send someone to check for survivors and they'll be armed to the teeth. We don't want to be here then. Besides, we don't have room for prisoners; his own guys will pick him up if he's here."

"The explosion could kill him."

Troy paused in opening the box to really look at his driver. "What's going on Hitch? We have to destroy these trucks; they're carrying ammunition to the enemy. We can't let them get through or a lot of our guys are going to die."

"I know that Sarge, but if the driver is injured he may qualify as a noncombatant."

"Then he'd better make sure he's clear because we're blowing this truck and any of the others that are still intact."

Hitch nodded and looked away.

Troy pulled a hand full of stick grenades out of the box and climbed into the jeep. "Okay, take me to the rear of the truck and then get us out of here."

Hitch pulled the jeep up right next to the rear of the truck. Troy twisted the end of the German made grenade and tossed it into the truck bed. It landed among the remaining boxes of ammunition and grenades that were packed tightly in the bed of the truck. "Let's go!" Troy shouted as he grabbed for a grip on the jeep.

The jeep shot forward taking them away from the impending explosion. They still felt the force of the blast when the cargo detonated. The little jeep rocked with the impact of the blast wave. Both men ducked automatically in case any shrapnel happened to fly in their direction before they got completely clear. A blast of heat hit them in the back as they were pelted with bits of fine sand. They repeated the maneuver with one other truck that was also carrying ammo. The fuel trucks were already burning and didn't require any further action. They ignored any trucks carrying non-lethal cargos. Troy considered a starving enemy to be a desperate enemy and he said they fought well enough when they weren't desperate. They left the truck carrying food alone. With the destruction of the last of the fuel and ammunition the two jeeps departed the area, leaving the clean-up for the Germans.

They wandered the desert for the rest of the day searching for more convoys or any other target of opportunity. The Germans were extremely active in the area and they had no trouble making contact with the enemy forces. Two patrols came out on the losing end in their encounters with the prowling American unit.

It was dark when Troy finally called a halt to make camp. Everyone was quiet as they went about their usual nightly routines. Guards were set and a meal was cooked without any fuss or discussion.

Hitch had first watch so Troy didn't get a chance to talk to his driver right away. When the meal was ready Troy volunteered to take a plate to him.

"Hey Sarge." Hitch answered when Troy announced his presence.

"I brought you your supper."

"Thanks. Tully could have brought it up when he got a minute."

"I know…but I wanted to talk to you." Troy handed Hitch the plate and took his Thompson so that the younger man could eat. Turning his back to the camp he looked out across the desert.

"Is something wrong Sarge?"

"That's what I want to know." The sergeant looked back in time to catch the blush on his driver's face.

"I don't know what you mean Sarge."

"I think you do." Troy answered softly. "You've been quiet ever since we left the base, and not just your usual quiet. And then there's the way you acted when we hit that convoy. That was strange too."

"I was just wondering about the driver of that truck, that's all."

"It was more than that and we both know it." Troy argued. "Something's bothering you and I want to know what it is. We can talk about it, work it out."

"It's nothing Sarge." Hitch insisted, but he was turning red again.

"Come on Hitch, talk to me. Let's get it settled before it gets someone hurt."

"That won't happen!"

"I would hope not, but why take chances? Sometimes the smallest hesitation can have unexpected consequences. I don't want that to happen. Talk to me."

"It's nothing Sarge, just something I heard."

"Heard where and about what?"

Hitch sighed and looked down at his plate. "I was working on my jeep next to the motor pool. I was using some of their tools so I was parked pretty close."

"Okay?"

"These guys stopped next to one of the trucks and began to talk. I didn't know any of them. I wasn't really listening until I heard them mention our jeeps and that got my attention." Hitch paused. "I guess they didn't know I was there or they just didn't know who I was."

"What did they say about the jeeps?" Troy smiled as he waited to hear what had his driver so upset. Knowing how the two privates felt about their jeeps, he was expecting an over-protective reaction to an insult to their beloved vehicles.

"One of them said that he'd heard that they belonged to a commando unit, he even called us by name."

"So?"

"The other guys, they said they'd heard of us." Hitch paused and swallowed hard. "They said that they'd heard that we were all cold-blooded killers. That we used our patrols as an excuse to kill every chance we got. They called us the Army's death squad and said we killed for fun." Hitch was starting to look kind of sick as he repeated the accusations.

Troy studied his driver's anxious face before he answered. "We are killers Hitch." As the young soldier's face fell, Troy hurried to continue. "All soldiers are killers; it's what the Army trains us to do. A soldier who doesn't kill is just going to wind up dead. With a little luck he won't take anyone else with him. Killing doesn't make us cold-blooded or a death squad, it makes us soldiers. Soldiers are meant to fight…and kill. It would be great if wars could be fought with talk and not death, but that's not the way it is. So yeah, we're killers, but so is every other soldier worth his salt."

"I know that Sarge but this guy made it sound as if we enjoyed the killing."

"Do you?"

"No!"

"Then he's wrong." Troy replied confidently. "And if he's wrong about that then can't he be wrong about the rest of it?"

"Yeah sure…I guess."

"Do you think you're a cold-blooded killer?"

"No."

"Then what are you unsure about?"

"He said that we're so good at killing that we probably won't want to do anything else even after the war is over."

Troy chuckled. "I don't know about you but I can't wait to put the killing behind me. I'm more than ready to return to a life where I don't have to kill or worry about being killed."

"Yeah, me too!"

"So you're all right? We can forget about what those guys said?"

"I guess so." The young soldier still sounded confused and worried.

"But something is still bothering you?"

"Yeah." Hitch admitted with a frown. "I guess I just thought that the other guys on the base understood what we did and why we did it. I suppose it just bothers me that some of the guys we fight beside think of us more as killers and not fellow soldiers."

Troy shrugged. "We can't control what others think of us Hitch. All we can do is keep on doing our job and hope that they eventually figure it out. We're saving lives, that should count for something."

"Yeah, it does. You know, I've always been okay with what we do, and how we do it; proud of it even."

"You should be." Troy agreed. "You're a good soldier. A lot of those guys are alive because of what you do, what we do. Just think of all of the ammunition, fuel and supplies we have destroyed. Think of what the Germans would have done with it if we hadn't destroyed it. Sure we killed, but it was to get the job done, not because we enjoyed it."

Hitch nodded thoughtfully and reached for his Thompson. Handing Troy his empty plate he smiled. "You're right Sarge, we do good work; and it's important. Those guys were wrong about us."

Troy grinned and took the plate. "Tully will be up soon to take over. I'm going to turn in, yell if you need me."

"Right Sarge, sleep well, everything looks quiet for now."

"Let's hope it stays that way. See you later." When he returned to the camp Troy filled Moffitt and Tully in on the conversation he had had with Hitch. Both men looked up at the blond with concern.

When it was time for Tully to take over he called to Hitch before approaching. "Come ahead." Hitch called back.

"How's it look?" Tully asked as he gave the desert a quick glance.

"Quiet." Hitch answered.

"Good, then we can talk."

"Sarge talked to you." Hitch guessed.

"Yep." Tully nodded. "He told us what those guys said." Tully turned to look directly at Hitch. "He said that it was bothering you."

"Yeah, it did, but Sarge talked to me too." Hitch admitted.

"Are you okay?"

"I guess." The blond answered. After a moment he looked over at Tully. "Doesn't it bother you?"

"What's that?"

"That those guys think the only thing we're good at is killing?"

"Blame it on Sarge." Tully answered with a shrug.

"Sarge?"

"Yeah." Tully nodded. "How many times have we knocked guards out and left them alive?" Tully asked. "And how many times have we gone onto a German base or into a camp and not killed anyone?"

"How is that Sarge's fault? That only proves that we're not killers!"

"Right." Tully answered with a smug smile. "But Sarge doesn't always include that in his report."

"That's because it's not important!"

Tully smiled. "See, I knew you'd see it my way."

"What?" Hitch asked in confusion.

"Making others understand why we do things is not as important as knowing for ourselves. We know we don't kill needlessly. Doesn't that prove were not cold-blooded?"

"They said we're really good at it."

"Sure, that's why we're still alive while a lot of the other commando teams are gone. Being good at our job doesn't make us cold-blooded either."

"They said we probably won't be able to do anything else after the war."

"That's not true and you know it. We can fix cars, run moonshine," Tully smiled as he mentioned that one, "go to school, or do anything we want. Once this war is over we can do or be anything we want. Being good at killing doesn't mean that it's the only thing we're good at. We can learn something new if we don't want to go back to what we were doing before the war. So can Sarge or Doc for that matter. We are doing this job to help win the war, not because we want to do it, now or later. Killing isn't what we want, any of us."

Sarge said pretty much the same thing." Hitch admitted.

"I don't care what those guys think of me Hitch." Tully continued. "They don't mean anything to me. My Pappy always said that you worry about those you care about first and everyone else later. Those guys are so far down on the list that they don't count at all."

Hitch was nodding in agreement. "I get it Tully…and thanks."

"Any time buddy, now go get some sleep."

Hitch headed for his jeep to get his blankets.

"Are you all right Hitch?"

The quiet question caught Hitch by surprise. "I'm sorry Doc; I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't." Moffitt answered as he sat up. Pulling his blankets around his shoulders he eyed the younger soldier. "After our little discussion with Troy I find myself unable to sleep."

"I know how you feel, I felt the same way earlier."

"But you're better now?"

"Yeah, Sarge and Tully talked to me about it."

"It is a bit disconcerting to know that someone thinks of you in that way." Moffitt nodded in understanding.

"These are guys we fight beside Doc!"

"Troy said that you didn't recognize any of them."

"No, they might be some of the new guys."

"Then perhaps they just need more time to get to know us. I am sure that most of the people on the base would disagree with them. How anyone could ever think of you as cold hearted I could never understand. We save lives Hitch; maybe we'll even save theirs someday. Stranger things have happened."

"I know you're right Doc, but it stills feels wrong. We're on the same side here."

"They say the same thing about snipers you know." Moffitt continued quietly. "Some soldiers don't consider them real soldiers. They don't agree with the concept of striking from a distance where you are relatively safe and everyone in your sights is in danger. I suppose it is a direct result of having been in the sights of a sniper. It can be disheartening. I'm sure that most men would prefer an enemy they can get in their sights too."

"We get close Doc."

"Yes we do, very close, but not everyone looks at it that way. They see us sneaking around in the dark and don't consider the danger to us if we get caught. I suppose it makes them nervous about the Germans doing the same thing to them."

"They do Doc."

"And no one likes it when it happens." The sergeant pointed out.

"Okay, I can understand that." Hitch nodded. "But does that mean that we should let the Germans do it while we wait around for daylight?"

"Of course not." Moffitt smiled. "But it does mean that not everyone will be comfortable around us. Many of them don't understand how we can do it, and they fear what they don't understand, or at the very least, distrust it. It does take a certain type of person to do what we do, that's why not everyone is offered commando training."

"You're right Doc. Thanks. I'm going to turn in. I hope you can get some sleep too."

"I think I can now Hitch. Talking seems to help get ones thoughts in order. I feel much better now. Good night."

"Night Doc."

The next morning Troy took them out to search for more convoys. They located one late in the afternoon and hit it hard. As the fuel and ammunition exploded Hitch recalled what the others had said the night before. He agreed with everything they said, and he was comfortable with his role in the Army, but he still couldn't get over the disappointment that others considered them killers. Even though he hadn't recognized the speakers, their words had still hurt. He didn't like being called a cold-hearted killer.

After hitting the convoy Troy had ordered Hitch and Tully to turn back toward their own lines. The Germans were sending out columns and patrols to look for them and it was getting harder to find targets that weren't ready and equipped to fight. Troy didn't want to risk hitting a patrol with a column near enough to come to its aid.

"Sarge!" Hitch slowed the jeep and looked back at his sergeant. With all of the Germans in the area Troy and Moffitt were riding in the rear of the jeeps to be ready for instant action.

"What is it?" The sergeant leaned forward to hear his driver.

"Listen."

With the wind no longer whistling in his ears Troy could hear what had attracted the attention of his driver. "Gun fire."

"Sounds like some of ours and definitely some German guns." Hitch confirmed with a nod.

"What is it Troy?" Moffitt asked as Tully pulled his jeep alongside Hitch's jeep. More shots rang out and Moffitt swung his head around in an effort to locate the source of the sound.

Tully listened for a minute and then pointed toward some distant dunes.

"I do believe you're right." Moffitt nodded.

Let's check it out." Troy ordered as the sound of a halftrack joined the fight.

The two jeeps jumped forward and raced toward the sounds of the battle.

Troy waved Tully and Moffitt around one way while he had Hitch take him the other. They circled around to come in behind where they thought that the Germans were positioned. Rounding a dune they saw the enemy forces lined up along the top of some small dunes.

Two halftracks were perched on top of a dune facing into a small valley below. On the valley floor an American unit was pinned down by the German forces. The halftracks were firing on the trucks scattered along the valley floor while the German soldiers moved into position to overrun the trapped Americans. On the dunes on the other side of the valley more halftracks targeted the trucks below.

Another truck fell victim to the heavy shells of the halftrack as Troy and Hitch roared up behind the armored vehicles. Troy opened fire on the crew of the first vehicle before the crew could get their gun turned to face the new threat. The gun crew jerked and fell as the heavy slugs tore into their bodies.

The crew of the second vehicle got their gun turned to face the jeep as Troy leaned down to reach for something near his feet. He straightened with one of the German grenades in his hand. Bullets whizzed past his head as Hitch aimed for the space between the two halftracks. As the jeep slipped between the vehicles Troy tossed the grenade into the second halftrack.

When the grenade exploded the gun crew was sent flying through the air. Shrapnel from the blast hit some of the soldiers lying on top of the dune. The others dove for nonexistent cover with many of them diving over the crest of the hill. The moment they cleared the hill the American soldiers below were able to target them. They quickly realized their mistake and dropped flat on the ground. The jeep raced past and kept going.

Hitch twisted the wheel as they reached the bottom of the hill and turned to go around the dune for another run at the German forces. On the other hill they could hear Moffitt and Tully doing the same thing. The jeep raced up behind the Germans again but this time they were expected. The soldiers lying on the ground twisted around to shoot at the fast moving vehicle. Hitch ignored the bullets headed their way while expertly keeping the jeep weaving without losing speed. Troy's gun rained death down on the exposed attackers.

An officer got to his knees and waved at the surviving soldiers. Urging them to return to their trucks, he ordered a retreat. Troy and Hitch let them go.

On the opposing hill Moffitt and Tully were dealing with the Germans on that side of the valley. Moffitt tossed a grenade that disabled one of the halftracks while Tully kept the foot soldiers distracted by nearly running over them. The soldiers scattered as Tully drove right at them. Some of them made it but others were too slow and bounced off of the bumper to fall to the side. Any of them unfortunate enough to fall under the jeep were run over as Tully took the jeep out of the line of fire.

The soldiers dodging Tully's jeep noticed the soldiers on the other hill retreating. With a yell the survivors ran for the trucks they had parked behind the dunes. Soon the Germans were in full retreat so Tully and Moffitt parked on top of a nearby dune to watch them go.

Troy and Hitch dropped down to the floor of the valley to talk to the American commander.

"Sergeant Troy!" The lieutenant in charge of the American unit had been stationed on the base long enough to recognize their rescuers.

"Lieutenant Benjamin." Troy responded.

"You sure are a welcome sight." The young lieutenant greeted them. "They had us pinned down pretty well."

"Can you move Lieutenant?" Troy asked without responding to the greeting. "This area is crawling with krauts. That column is liable to run into reinforcements and decided to take another crack at you."

The announcement wiped the smile from the officer's face. He turned quickly toward the remains of his command. "Sergeant Wright!" When a lean sergeant answered the call the officer began to grill him on the condition of the convoy. "How many wounded do we have?"

"Twelve, two seriously." The sergeant replied.

"Dead?"

"Seven Lieutenant."

"How many trucks can we still use?"

"We haven't tried them but some of them look okay."

"Try to get them started." The officer ordered. "Get the causalities loaded. Sergeant Troy tells me that there are likely more German columns out here."

"Not likely Lieutenant," Troy corrected, "definitely. We've been dodging them all day. That doesn't include all of the patrols we've seen today."

"On it Lieutenant." The sergeant answered. "Nice work." The sergeant nodded at Troy and Hitch.

Troy glanced back at Hitch and smiled.

Hitch watched as the rescued men scurried to get ready to leave. The wounded were loaded into the first truck they were able to start. The next truck was loaded with men assigned to protect the first one. A third truck carried the dead and the remaining survivors. Four others carried supplies destined for the base. The last two trucks were too damaged to be saved so Troy suggested that they blow them up so the Germans could not use any part of them.

"Won't that alert the Germans to our position?" A young soldier asked.

"They already know where we are." The Lieutenant answered. "The ones who got away had radios."

"Why didn't you finish them off instead of letting them get away?" The soldier asked Troy.

"Because they were leaving." Troy answered. "We had more important things to worry about.

"What's more important than killing the enemy?"

"Saving our own guys." Troy answered looking pointedly at the other Americans. "Killing them wouldn't have changed the outcome anyway."

"They'd be dead."

"And so would you." Troy replied. "Other columns probably already know your location. That column commander most likely radioed your position the minute he spotted you. The other columns are probably on their way as we speak. The longer we hang around here the closer they get. One column we can handle, but there may be more close by. You need to get moving."

"We're ready Sergeant." Lieutenant Benjamin reported. "Can you and your men give us an escort back to the base?"

"We can do that Lieutenant. Get your convoy moving and we'll scout around to make sure they aren't waiting for you anywhere."

The officer nodded.

"Do you have a medic to take care of your wounded?"

"Yes we do; he's with them now."

"Good, because we won't be able to stop for a while. Move them out Lieutenant."

Troy returned to his jeep and ordered Hitch to move out. They met up with Tully and Moffitt and told them what was happening. The two jeeps raced ahead of the convoy.

"Someone appreciates our help." Troy called to Hitch as they drove along.

Hitch nodded without looking back.

"We did the right thing by letting them go."

Hitch nodded again. Troy was about to say more when he noticed his driver stiffen in his seat. Looking ahead Troy saw the dust trail rising from behind some hills. Turning, he pointed toward the dust and waited for Moffitt to acknowledge the warning. Hitch turned the jeep and headed back to warn Lieutenant Benjamin.

"What do you want us to do?" The young officer asked after getting the news.

"Just keep going." Troy answered. "We'll try to lead them away. If that doesn't work we'll try to keep them busy until you get clear. Tell your men to say alert."

The officer nodded, a look of concern on his face. "Take care Sergeant."

"You too Lieutenant. We'll see you soon."

Moffitt and Tully took the lead as the jeeps approached the source of the dust. A German column was searching the desert for what Troy suspected was the American unit. He gave a nod and Tully hit the gas. The little jeep darted out into the open for just a minute before Tully guided it back into the shelter of the low hills. Hitch followed just as quickly, taking cover before the Germans could open fire.

The chase was on and the German commander seemed determined to catch his elusive quarry. For their part the two jeep drivers were just as determined not to be caught. They played a dangerous game of cat and mouse for the next twenty minutes. Finally Troy called a halt to the game and they left the German column miles from the American convoy and looking in the wrong direction.

The jeeps raced back toward the battered American column as the sun was setting. They were nearly back when they heard the gun fire. Without the need for orders the two jeeps increased their speed. When the combatants came into sight each driver picked a target and they split up.

Tully took the patrol car closest to the American trucks. Moffitt opened fire with the 50, alerting the Germans to their presence. One of the Germans was a fair shot from a moving car. His first shot hit Moffitt in the thigh. The British sergeant grunted with pain but continued to fire.

A bullet penetrated the vehicle's gas tank and the fumes ignited. The two surviving crew members jumped for the safety of the sand as the car continued to roll forward. When the car exploded the survivors were forced to hit the dirt while Tully drove past and kept going.

Hitch drove after the second patrol car with only one thing on his mind; eliminate the threat. He crowded close to the car to give Troy a clear target. The 50 rattled and the crew of the patrol car jerked and crumbled to the floor of the vehicle. The driver stayed in his seat but he was no longer able to control the mass of metal. Hitch broke off the attack and looked for the other jeep.

"Moffitt's hit!" Tully called when he got close enough to be heard.

Hitch pulled up next to the other jeep.

"How bad?" Troy demanded.

"It's not bad." Moffitt grunted through the pain.

"Thigh." Tully answered Troy's question.

"Get him to the trucks; they have a medic." As Tully nodded Troy took a closer look at the bleeding wound. "Leave him with the medics." Troy called over the other sergeant's objections. "See if the lieutenant can loan you a man to handle the gun until we get back to the base." Tully nodded again, not giving Moffitt any chance to argue. "Hitch, let's take a look and made sure that there aren't any other surprises waiting for us." Hitch wheeled the jeep away to search the hills ahead.

After confirming that the patrol cars had been alone Troy and Hitch returned to the trucks. When they spotted Tully heading their way Troy ordered Hitch to take the lead to make sure that the road stayed clear.

They hadn't gone far before Tully honked his horn to alert Troy to more dust. The source of the dust looked like it was angled to meet the trucks along the road. Troy gave the order and the jeeps leaped into action once more.

They spotted the patrol cars before the patrol cars spotted the trucks. Troy waved Tully toward one car while he pointed Hitch toward the other. Without further orders the two drivers closed in on the enemy patrol.

This time Troy kept the car's crew busy with the 50 until Hitch got close. With one hand the sergeant reached for one of the German grenades. He twisted the end and tossed the borrowed explosive into the patrol car. Hitch had the jeep clear before the grenade detonated.

Tully drove toward his target, but instead of running, the patrol car turned toward them. The two vehicles raced toward each other in what looked like a head-on collision about to happen. The soldier in the back of Tully's jeep kept firing the 50 until it clicked on empty. He looked up a panicked expression on his face, as the two vehicles continued to close the gap between them. Having heard the 50 go silent Tully reached between the seats and pulled out one of his pineapple shaped grenades. He pulled the pin with his teeth and waited with the handle clenched in his fist.

"Throw it! Throw it!" The soldier in the back yelled desperately.

Tully ignored him as the two vehicles raced toward each other. At the last minute the German driver lost his nerve and turned sharply to the side. Tully tossed the grenade into the patrol car as it skimmed the side of his jeep. The explosion rocked the jeep as Tully searched for Hitch.

The two jeeps came together and Troy checked his men. The new guy was pale ad visible shaken by the encounter. Tully glanced back and gave him a sympathetic smile as he groaned and sank down next to the base of the 50.

"You okay Tully?" Troy called as he checked for injuries.

"Fine Sarge, it was a piece of cake."

Troy nodded. "How about you?" The question caught their temporary gunner by surprise.

"I was never so scared in my life." The man answered honestly as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Shake it off; we have a job to do." Troy ordered. "Those trucks aren't going to make it through unless we can keep the krauts off of them."

"Just the four of us?" The soldier asked in alarm.

"Do you see anybody else out here to help us?"

"No."

"Then it's up to us." Troy confirmed. The rumble of the approaching American trucks drew Troy's attention. "Here they come, we need to move. There are some hills up ahead that would make a good place for an ambush.  
We'll check them out before the lieutenant and his men get there."

Both privates nodded and hit the gas. The little jeeps soon out distanced the trucks and had the desert to themselves once again. They found another patrol waiting in the hills and managed to chase it off with no causalities on either side. Only one patrol managed to get close enough to cause any trouble and Troy took care of that one. He had to eliminate both cars since their new gunner was having trouble hitting anything from the back of a bouncing jeep. They had to return to the convoy and guide them around an ambush planned by another column before they found the way clear before them.

Tully looked amused as the two jeeps came together to run side by side after the last action.

"Something funny Tully?" Troy asked as they got close.

"Our new gunner thinks we're crazy Sarge." Tully grinned at the description.

"He does does he? Did you happen to remind him that he's technically one of us now?"

"Yep, and I don't think the news made him any too happy. It seems that someone told him that we're all a bunch of trigger happy killers. He wants out."

Troy glared at the new man. "Just how do you expect us to protect the trucks without shooting at the enemy?"

The gunner shrugged. "I guess I never really thought about it."

"Do you really want us to let the convoys get through with all of those supplies? We've destroyed a lot of ammunition and fuel. Maybe we ought to let it through so you guys can deal with it."

"No. We don't want you to do that." The gunner cringed.

"Do you have any idea how to stop it from getting through without shooting?"

"No."

"It sounds to me like you need to rethink your attitude then." Troy growled. "We have a job to do and a lot of lives depend on our doing it right. We're good at our jobs and we're not ashamed of that." Troy declared. "We may not enjoy doing it but we'll keep doing it because it serves a purpose." He glared at the gunner. "And right now we need you to step up and do your job. Those trucks, the guys in them, are depending on us to get them through." Having had his say Troy climbed back into his jeep and gave Hitch his new orders.

The jeeps and the trucks rolled onto the base several hours after dark. The arrival of darkness had slowed their speed but Troy and the lieutenant had decide that it would be better to keep moving since they had reached a road and were near Allied territory. The wounded were taken directly to the hospital for badly needed care.

Troy reported to Captain Boggs alongside Lieutenant Benjamin. Tully and Hitch took the jeeps to the motor pool. They decided to restock them after they checked on Moffitt.

Later, after Troy had joined them and Moffitt was recovering from surgery, the two privates headed for the motor pool. Troy was staying with Moffitt so that they could restock the jeeps. They did a quick inventory and headed for the supply building. Once they had what they needed they returned to the jeeps to load the supplies.

"I'm just saying, all commandos are killers." Tully grabbed Hitch's arm as his friend reacted to the comment from the motor pool. "It's what they are trained to do. It's the only thing they know how to do." The voice coming out of the motor pool stopped both privates as they worked. Tully watched Hitch with a worried frown.

"Well I don't care what you say. I'm telling you you're wrong!" A second voice answered as a small group of men came into view. Tully recognized the second speaker as their recent replacement.

"Tell me they don't know how to kill." The first speaker argued.

"Sure they do." The second speaker agreed. "We all do. If you don't know how then the Army didn't teach you very well. The Army taught us all how to kill."

"But they went to commando school to learn how to do it better." The first speaker protested.

"They're all alone out there. They have to do it better just to survive!" The second speaker argued.

"But they enjoy it."

"Then why did they let the Germans go?" A third guy asked. "They had them right where they wanted them, but they let them go."

"That Sergeant Troy said it was more important to protect our guys than it was to chase the Germans." Another soldier explained. Tully and Hitch recognized him as the one who had challenged Troy's decision right after their rescue.

"I don't think they like killing." The second speaker declared. "They have a job to do and they just happen to be good at it."

"Admit it Chuck." The third guy addressed the first one. "You're just down on them because you didn't make it into commando training."

"That's not true!" Chuck denied.

"Well I don't care what you say." The third speaker declared. "They saved our bacon out there and I was darn glad to see them. They can rescue me anytime, and if they have to kill a few Germans to do it, too bad."

"We've all killed since we joined the Army." The second guy admitted. "That doesn't mean I like it. And I don't think they like it any more than I do. Those guys are okay in my book."

"Mine too." All but Chuck agreed.

Tully looked over at Hitch and smiled. Hitch was smiling too. "Told ya so." Tully grinned as the group of men rounded a corner and continued on their way without having seen the two drivers by the jeeps.otch an dTully as they


End file.
